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Trip from Boston, MA to Plymouth, MA

Data updated 0 seconds ago

Drive Time

55m

Distance

39.5 mi

64 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$6

one way

EV Charging

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station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 13 min
4 AM
0h 51m ★
6 AM
0h 55m
8 AM
1h 4m
10 AM
0h 58m
12 PM
0h 57m
3 PM
0h 59m
5 PM
1h 4m
8 PM
0h 53m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

capital and largest city of Massachusetts, United States

Boston, MA

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Plymouth, MA, MA

Plymouth, MA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Boston, MA to Plymouth, MA covers 39.5 miles and takes about 55m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on MA 3, Southeast Expressway, John F. Fitzgerald Expressway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 28.2 miles on MA 3. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.32 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

19.8 miles from Boston, MA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 28m into the drive .

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Drive Character

This is a 55m highway drive covering 39.5 miles, with most of the trip on MA 3 and Southeast Expressway. The longest continuous stretch is about 28.2 miles on MA 3.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
MA 3 is the longest continuous segment at about 28.2 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on MA 3 and Southeast Expressway. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near School Street.

Route Complexity 6/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 39.5 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (School Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.2 miles (Washington Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Devonshire Street): Navigation decision point.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 10 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

7
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | School Street

Turn left onto School Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
5
0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | Washington Street

At end of road, turn left onto Washington Street

Navigation decision point

5
0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | Devonshire Street

Turn right onto Devonshire Street

Navigation decision point

8
10 mi into trip | ~15m in | MA 3

Keep slight left at fork onto MA 3 toward MA 3 South: Cape Cod

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Exit 7 Toward MA 3 South: Cape Cod
6
38.2 mi into trip | ~51m in

Take the exit toward US 44 West: Samoset Street, Carver

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 15B Toward US 44 West: Samoset Street, Carver

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
MA 3 28.2 mi 35m
Southeast Expressway 8 mi 10m
John F. Fitzgerald Expressway 1.2 mi 2m
Samoset Street 0.9 mi 2m
Court Street 0.2 mi <1m
Devonshire Street 0.2 mi <1m
Kingston Street 0.1 mi <1m
School Street 0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: MA 3 — 28.2 mi, about 35m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Boston, MA and Plymouth, MA.

1

Start on Tremont Street

230 ft · 16 sec · Tremont Street
2

Turn left onto School Street

0.1 mi · 25 sec · School Street
Use the left lane.
3

At end of road, turn left onto Washington Street

110 ft · 4 sec · Washington Street
4

Turn right onto Water Street

210 ft · 11 sec · Water Street
5

Turn right onto Devonshire Street

0.2 mi · 36 sec · Devonshire Street
6

Continue on Otis Street

485 ft · 18 sec · Otis Street
7

Continue on Kingston Street

0.1 mi · 31 sec · Kingston Street
8

Turn left onto Essex Street

244 ft · 8 sec · Essex Street
9

Turn slight right

86 ft · 5 sec
10

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 24 sec
Toward I 93 South: Quincy
11

Merge onto I 93; US 1; MA 3

1.2 mi · 2 min · John F. Fitzgerald Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Continue on I 93; US 1; MA 3

8.0 mi · 10 min · Southeast Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Keep slight left at fork onto MA 3

28 mi · 35 min · MA 3
Exit 7 Toward MA 3 South: Cape Cod Use the slight left lane.
14

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 46 sec
Exit 15B Toward US 44 West: Samoset Street, Carver
15

Turn straight onto Samoset Street

254 ft · 9 sec · Samoset Street
16

Continue on Samoset Street

0.9 mi · 2 min · Samoset Street
17

Turn right onto MA 3A

0.2 mi · 35 sec · Court Street
Use the right lane.
18

Arrive at destination

MA 3A

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 19.8 miles from Boston, MA, or about 28m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 28.2 miles.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 39.5 miles or 55m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 19.8 miles or 28m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 45m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Plymouth, MA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Boston, MA so your first major turns are already loaded.

+

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

+

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Boston, MA

This is one driving day of about 39.5 miles and 55m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Boston, MA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on MA 3 for about 28.2 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 19.8 mi from Boston, MA · 28m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Brookhaven, NY

20 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

East Quogue, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 39.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Brookhaven, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 19.8 miles from Boston, MA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Plymouth, MA

The final approach into Plymouth, MA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Plymouth, MA.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$6.32 one way

$12.64 round trip

$4.07/gal 25.4 MPG avg 14 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.43 $6.89 $13.79
premium $4.82 $7.50 $15.00
diesel $5.61 $8.72 $17.44

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$6

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$31–$56

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 13.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 11.9 0 $4.15 $1.90
Efficient EV 9.9 0 $3.46 $1.58
EV Truck/SUV 15.8 0 $5.53 $2.53

Gas CO2

14 kg

EV CO2

5 kg (64% less)

This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.

DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast data refreshed 11 hours ago

Origin

Boston, MA

Morning in Boston on Wednesday

Local time

6:36 AM

EDT

Current temp

31°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Plymouth, MA

Morning in Plymouth on Wednesday

Local time

6:36 AM

EDT

Current temp

47°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

49°F

Brookhaven, NY

20 mi in

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

Time zone

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Temperature spread

16 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

55m on the road

Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Boston, MA to Plymouth, MA covers 39.5 miles and takes about 55m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are MA 3, Southeast Expressway, John F. Fitzgerald Expressway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 19.8 miles from Boston, MA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.32 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 39.5 miles you will encounter 10 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (School Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.2 miles (Washington Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Devonshire Street): Navigation decision point.
The route from Boston, MA to Plymouth, MA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Plymouth, MA to Boston, MA

Plan the drive back the other way.

39.2 mi 54m

Explore more options from Boston, MA or browse trips ending in Plymouth, MA.

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